The 4th war
by the .303 bookworm
Summary: A crossover of multiple worlds Malazan, Warhammer 40k, Star wars, Metroid, Marvel, Zero [Megaman], The Shrike in the world of Samurai Jack


The 4th war

F.fic no7

Prologue:

A tall and dark tower looms, and within its interior there is a pit.

Within this pit lurks a shadow, one great and terrible, as it dwells and broods upon its gargantuan throne.

With a wave of a shadowy Appendage it summons a mirror of flame & crushed rubies caped with the tears of an orphaned babe.

Leaning forwards it begins to examine the events that flash upon the mirrors surface.

First it sees its primordial battle against the 3 Sky fathers (Odin, Ra & Vishnu) over 66 million years ago.

It growls at its defeat and grins as a fragment of it escapes towards an unsuspecting blue-green orb then ruled by the cold-blooded.

It's peruses the sight of its growth, healing, eventual resurrection and eventual defeat at the hands of the Accursed Emperor and The Sword.

It shows a foul near-concave grin at the sight of its return at the time of the eclipse, the view of the capturing and degradement of the (Former) Emperor, the burning of his kingdom and the slaughter of all that tried to resist.

It winces at the sight of the Emperor's son, The Samurai coming with an inch of destroying it permanently with The Sword and the desperate gambit that had saved it – Tossing its Foe through time to the Future that It ruled and had shaped in its Glorious image.

It laughs at the sight of countless champions & Hero's falling, cities burning under its gaze, countless sacrifices & slaves, the very planet re-shaped in its visage – And its eventual spread into the very galaxy like a malignant growth, a tumor in the skin of reality.

It curses as it sees the Samurai return and begin plaguing it – Destroying armies, plans & slaves, hurting It in combat with that Accursed Sword, restoring hope to the young and undermining its stranglehold over the solar system -

But! Constantly Unable to destroy it or its eon's long rule.

It then begins to examine more recent (And peculiar events) –

The arrival of numerous new & strange beings through a variety of portals.

It examines their appearances –

The human who arrived naked but had encased itself with a lion's pelt then subsequently a suit of armour, who had set up a base of opposition in its constantly relocated castle hidden with technology and strange magic, this "Doctor".

It examines the new allies and minions gathered by this tin-pot tyrant:

The strange beast with the gargantuan exposed brain and its draconic minion, commanding dozens of Mantis like alien warriors, each superior to His best Shadow-ninja.

The Twin pair of mechanicals (Robots?) that soon after appearing while deactivated had been seized and apparently re-programmed by "The Doctor".

The first was A being clad in red & Black armour with a face resembling that of a human with very long yellow hair.

It was also disturbingly effective at demolishing robot hordes, even more so than the Samurai due to its combination of energy saber and blaster.

The second being while less – Efficient, was even more troublesome.

Covered in spikes, blades and thorns of some sort of quicksilver like metal it showed an expertise at torturing fallen opponents that almost managed to impress Aku himself with its impalement of opponents on trees via unpleasant looking spikes leaving even robots writhing in the agony caused by newly appeared pain-circuitry.

(He noted to use it as a new chief torturer if- Once it was captured).

Still (The Shadow mused) at least not all these newcomers were foes or detriments, Or cunning.

It laughs at the thought of its newest easily played minion – An ancient former high king (An "Emperor" it thought with amusement) arriving on a rotting throne.

Upon arrival He (He called himself Kallor) had been taken in by a family of peasants.

Within 2 days he ruled the nearby village, and by next week he ruled the nearest town (A small place of 60,000 citizens).

He'd been preparing an army of conquest when It had taken him and with a mix of intimidation, honeyed words, the "carrot" of a promised continent to rule (And a new throne) for its newest Minion.

The Shadowy Shogun Then scryed the newest being that it had seen appearing – The Chaos lord known as Abaddon.

Aku leaned back and laughed. "Ha-Ha-Ha…"

Chapter 1 – Abaddon

Abaddon roared, backhanding the Acolyte and reducing the hapless man's chest into something akin to a pulped fruit.

"Idiots, worthless wretches – There must be at least 405 sacrifices, not a single one less in order for it to be a proper offering to the glory of undivided Chaos".

The cloaked human, robot & Alien chaos acolytes scattered in search of new sacrificial babies, whilst Abaddon gnawed on the unworthy sacrifices while marshalling his thoughts.

Once he would have used his Chaos blessed abilities to blast these unworthy fools into protoplasmic pulp and would have had an endless amount of slaves and warp-demons to serve him.

But, since his abrupt arrival on this miserable rock of a world The Former High champion of Chaos had found his link to the Chaos gods severed and his connection to the warp itself all but non-existent.

He still retained his sword, the Storm-claw of Horus, his innate gifts & physical prowess, but he was a pale shadow of his former self.

And knew it.

Still, was he not still Abaddon? Champion of Chaos undivided and the glorious chaos gods. Favored "Son" of Horus, War-leader of the Black Crusades, scourge of the False Emperor, ravager of solar systems and successor of Horus the Glorious!

He would conquer this miserable dust ball, spread his domain throught this galaxy, establish the Empire He had told him to make and laugh at the lamentations of his enemies.

(The only reason he had never succeeded at this before were the traitorous incompetent slaves that had sabotaged his plans and the crusades through no fault of his own).

Or at least he would, if he only could draw the warp-power he needed and stop the hinderments of the ceaseless infiltrators and Iron men sent to hinder him by the godling of this wretched world.

At the thought of these new obstacles he let loose another shout (Shaking the birds out of their trees and destroying their nests & eggs) and slashed a nearby 2 story house with his blade.

The house upon contact collapsed half-way then exploded into fragments of stone, metal, wood, bone & gristle (for it had been inhabited).

He stomped off searching for another hapless target of his wrath, whilst unnoticed by him the shadow of the demolished Abode remained unchanged.

And grew, spreading towards the corrupted War-lord's back…

Chapter 2 Abaddon's Fall

The sun was setting and the Shadows were growing, but in the wrong direction towards the blood-red setting sun.

Towards Abaddon.

The shadows grew taller than the destroyed dwelling, wider than a man, stretching upwards like a colossal black tree, caped with ruby orbs caping pin-point eyes, crowned with horns akin to branches.

It bore an amazing resemblance to the hundreds of millions of statues, structures, architectural motifs & mechanical devices raised in Its honour to represent Its visage.

It came closer to Abaddon's back, arching over him –

And was cut in half by Abaddon's blade.

"Pah, I haven't survived this long by being a dimwitted unattentive fool like the corpse emperor" sneered Abaddon.

However the 2 separated halves peeled apart then suddenly bonded together and grew back, taller and wider than before!

"Ha-Ha-Ha!" Laughed the Thing "Foolish warrior, your blade may be powerful but its magic, Empowers me! Its magic is akin to my essence, and for daring to attempt an assault on me, Aku The Shogun of sorrow & Lord of Earth you will, DIE!"

The Darkness that was the Shadow released scores of tentacles at the lone armoured Chaos lord.

Abaddon leapt back, parrying the tentacles as he retreated, even managing to cut some off from the central mass.

But from each of the stumps new barbs grew, trebling the assault on the now back-pedaling Abaddon.

As the battle continued Abaddon failed to notice the fact that the cut Tentacles were no longer rejoining the central mass, but were now pooling into a single pool of rapidly moving ink black Ooze.

He leapt back yet again, 5 meters up to the top of a nearby hill-top, but the shadow unleashed a blast from its glowing "eyes" that Abaddon dodged in mid-air, but that demolished the hilltop in an explosion that sent him flying.

He landed, but the pool was mere inches behind him, then it was under him.

It grew, akin to a nightmarish plant that encircled and surrounded him, then collapsed onto him, penetrating the tiny cracks left in his armour by the barbed slashes until it tunneled onto the surface of his leather-hard skin.

It oozed along his skin until it found 4 convenient openings into his inner recesses.

Abaddon had just enough time to scream in rage before he lost that ability, choking on the ooze that flowed into him, filling his stomache, throat, lungs & stomache, then his brain and entire body, then the very inner recesses of his warp-soul.

His blood-red eyes that had so terrified countless beings popped out – And were replaced by orbs as black as a black hole, recesses.

Abaddon, Warleader of The black Crusades and chosen champion of Chaos was dead.

Aku however had a new slave.

Aku crowed in triumph, "You are me now, fool – To think that you could resist the might that is Aku! Now you shall be known as – Akaddon.

And with your form and the power of your blade I shall finally destroy that, accursed Samurai Jack!".

The newly named Akaddon (whose helmet was now pitch black and had grown 4 horns) prostrated itself – "Your will shall be done, my master".

Interlude

Ten million sandal steps away, a man took his 10,000,001th step on the path.

He had reached a crossroads, the trail broken by a strawberry field that stretched on ahead to both sides and in the middle of the forking trails.

He hefted a forked stick and threw it high in the air.

It spun once, twice, thrice and landed point towards the leftwards trail.

So the lone man continued his trek, shivering slightly as the cool night wind washed over him, as His simple home-spun round straw hat, wooden open sandals, white robe and silk under trappings provided scant protection against the chill wind.

In addition he could not but help feel a chill at a sudden grim feeling, as if someone had walked over his father's grave.

End Interlude

Chapter 3 – Which begins with drinking

A small, rustic town.

A small, old tavern filled with a variety of grizzled heavily armed beings.

A sign which reads "Gustav's all Ye can eate ayn drinke night, till ye drop. Only 9 gublaks!"

A crying tavern keeper.

The source of Gustav's impending bankruptcy:

A massive man in a red & black Kilt, with a massive sword the size of a man on his back and set of pipes (Bagpipes) currently unused due to the tankard of beer (His 5th) currently attached to his mouth (Upon which lay a bright orange moustache coloured with froth and spittle).

"Bah, what do ye call this weak pig-swill" shouted the massive man (Known as "The Scotsman").

Gustav replied "Aku's finest, strongest 1,000 year old malt whiskey" (He had hoped that the fact that this drink was used to melt down armour and was a highly volatile grenade component might drop the Aku-spawned monster).

"Phe, tis weaker than me dear departed mother's milk" said The Scot, "Now me wife, there's a woman a women who can make a brew, even with the foulest ingredients she can make drinks to delight a man almost as much as her beautiful singing or feasts".

"Frack your mother" shouted a random bounty hunter in the crowd.

At this ill-worded statement the Scot's face turned as red as his kilt, the half-empty keg in his hands shattered in a shower of splinters and its metal hoops were bent like pretzels together.

However The inhabitants of the tavern however were too busy being flung aside like bowling pins to notice such fine details.

Away went the conquering Scot leaving a pile of bodies & a grenade wrecked tavern behind him.

It therefore can be understandable as to why Gustav pointed the Troop of bounty hunters (Carrying a heavily restrained captive) after him.

Chapter 4 – Part I The Companions

180 degrees of a stick's throw and 9 hours walk away, a lone man took another sandal clad step.

He paused, listening to the howling of the morning wind and the whistling of the strawberry fields – To the sound of Fighting!

Quick as a Deer he ran, over the trail and through the strawberry field, jumping over rocks & obstacles until he reached the source of the commotion, the grinding sound of blade on blade and claw on flesh.

There were 2 groups in combat –

The first was composed of a dozen vicious looking grizzled robots and slobbering attack lizards (Of which 4 were alive out of the original 13 judging by the wreckage).

On the opposing side was an unconscious (And unharmed) olive- green-gray skinned being with caped tusks, grey hair, a large sheathed sword and ragged clothing.

His companion was conscious, but was bleeding heavily from a half dozen grievous injuries, apparently from protecting his (sleeping?) companion.

The apparent leader of the robot bandits voxed "Yarr me hearties, kill him and his sleeping friend, take their treasure in the name of the black Banditos!"

This would perhaps have had more of the moralizing effect it was meant to if The Samurai had not made up his mind at this point concerning potential action and the offended party, and was rushing to its defense, leaving a trail of bisected bandits and decapitated lizards in his wake.

Chapter 4 – Part II The passing of the burden

The Samurai wiped the oil off his sword with the deceased bandit leader's eye patch.

He sheathed his blade and approached the dying being whose plight had attracted him.

A quick glance told him that he had arrived too late, and that the being had at most moments of life left.

He was amazed that he had managed to stay conscious, let alone fight.

He was yet more amazed when the being called out to him "Who are you stranger?"

"They Call me Jack, Samurai Jack" replied the Lone Samurai.

"My thanks for saving my friend, Cough I don't have much time so listen well as I have a dying wish for you as you seem to be my only hope in this strange Warren of a world".

"My companions name is Icarium, you must accompany him – spin whatever tale you want but he must not be alone, he is a great warrior but always forgets his past and searches for it constantly".

He hacked again upchoking a large blot of blood and flesh.

"You must beware his rage, and most importantly of all you must Never ever Wheeze "

"Never what?!" Said Jack puzzled "Anger him?".

"not just that, Never let him Rattle …" The being went silent, dead from its wounds.

Jack sighed, he'd buried the being and was still waiting for this "Icarium" to awaken.

He was leery of re-taking the role of caretaker, but his conscience would not let him abandon an amnesiac being alone in a strange world without friend or kin.

Just as he was about to succumb to the temptation of prodding Icarium with a stick, the latter opened his eyes.

"So you say that I had a companion whom you kindly buried, and who was helping me discover my past and memories" Recapped Icarium with a sad expression.

"Yes, and I would be honored to assist you in your quest, I to know what it is like to be alone in a strange world" Said Jack, extending a hand.

Icarium clasped it "Thank you – Jack, my friend".

Chapter 5 – Slaughter at the desert corral

The troop of Bounty hunters rode onwards, each astride on a massive mechanical steed.

Each "horse" was covered in spikes (Barring the saddle) and was the colour of old, oxidized blood.

At the back of the parade of the 20 hunters a cage was tugged along, attached to the rearmost horse and moving on 4 automated wheels.

Within its metal bars a massive humanoid lay, trussed, bound & gagged from head to toe in thick ironized-duraplast chains, gagged with an oxi-ferp choker, his chains supported by a massive flint sword impaling them through the surface of the cage.

Despite his chains, within his eyes burned a fire that promised destruction to his underhanded captors, a threat that redoubled with every bump of the cage.

Eventually the grizzled bounty hunters had the good fortune of tracking down the drunken wandering Scotsman.

The Scotsman had the good luck coming across to vent his rage upon, be it by ripping them apart (With his bare hands), blow to smithereens (With a grenade), chew in half (With his teeth), blast into shreds (With his leg mounted machine gun), to squash into a pancake (With the contents of his kilt) or to slice into small pieces (With the obvious implement of choice for such a task).

By the time he was through this repertoire the Bounty hunters had been decimated with the 10/2 survivors' running for their lives while the Scot was disposing of the last of their rocket launching steeds (via ripping them apart or smashing through their back).

As they ran, a discourse sprang up:

"Whose bloody idea was this" screamed one.

"Yours!" shouted back the other (back at him).

"Well, it was a stupid idea" Said the first as he hopped along (His first leg had served as a club for the Scotsman to brain the lead rider after ripping it of him), "Anyway lets see you offer a superior plan".

"All right then, let's let the other prisoner we found sleeping loose on him" said Zorp (For this was his name).

"Well, it's certainly worth a try" admitted Zirp.

The Prisoner's eyes snapped open at the sound of the voices of his captors.

"Let him go, our large, orange bearded, angry Scots-boss wants to whet his blade on him".

"Yes, yes release him so that our glorious leader can kill him as he bawls battle cries to the North".

The chains burst open at the flick of a distant switch, allowing their bruised contents to spill forth.

Only for him to rise, gripping his blade for support.

Normally such a ruse would not have fooled one of feeble wits, let alone the prisoner, but the rage at his imprisonment; chaining and humiliation had burned away his wisdom and stoked the fire in his soul.

He spoke in a voice of rage and cold fury: "I vow to kill the one responsible for my chaining. This I, Karsa Orlong swear by my blood as a Toblokai".

With a single slash of his stone blade he sliced the bars of the cage containing him in half, and another slash with the unnaturally sharp flint blade open a doorway for the massive Toblokai warrior to stride through.

Out he went, blade held poised in his massive hands, point out-thrust as he paced towards the northwards part of the wrecked train and a drunk "Barely warmed up" Scotsman.

Chapter 7 – A new Hunter in town

The city was alive & vibrant with light and life.

Tens of thousands of hover vehicles zipped through the air on dozens of vertical levels, while Holographic tri-d ads patrolled the city, almost all showing the visage of Earth's Allpowerful, eternal, immortal, invincible, benevolent ruler Aku! (All rights reserved to Aku).

In one of the city's lowest and most primitive areas on the ground itself a machine shop was open, sparks flying out of the open entrance.

Inside the workshop was a gold coloured space-craft, held in the air via large metal clamps.

A small, Oriental man with a faint wisp of white hair slided out from under the ship.

He took of his welding mask, fire resistant vest & home made wooden sandals and went through a door at the back of the shop leading into his house, a small very, very old fashioned residence equipped with paper doors and walls of authentic (Home made) rice paper.

He walked through his house until he reached the guest room.

There on a rice-paper mattress laid his 'guest' & owner of the ship – An armoured figure, apparently human based on the proportions.

He/she was half-upright and stiffened upon seeing the door open before relaxing slightly at the sight of the small old man.

"My son told me that you had regained consciousness" Said the host, "I found you and your crashed ship on the outskirts of the city and bought you here, your ship is still in my workshop being repaired".

The armoured being finally spoke "I owe you my thanks, but I'm afraid that I currently don't have any resources with which to re-pay you for your generous hospitality. Perhaps you could hold onto my ship as collateral until I found myself some work and able to repay you".

The old man replied "That would be more than adequate; you only owe me for the repairs & towing.

I wouldn't dream of charging a guest in my house for the basic necessities of shelter and sustenance.

Might I just know your name and profession? Perhaps I can help you find some honest work".

The figure replied "My name is Samus Aran, my profession is a galactic Bounty Hunter".

The old man sighed "I suppose that honest work is out of the question then".

Samus replied defensively "Please don't confuse me with the common scum who prey on the weak & "soft" targets, I go after only the hard and dangerous cases".

She continued "I saw a wanted poster through the window for a massive sum for someone named "Samurai Jack"; the prize money would be enough I hope to-"

"NO!" barked the small mechanic.

He composed himself and said "I apologize for my unseemly outburst, but I must request as your temporary host that you leave the Samurai alone, he has done no harm to any barring a large number of robbers, thieves, criminals, bandits and hostile bounty hunters of the worst sort".

"All right, alright" appeased Samus "I'll honour your request, I certainly owe you that much for not stripping my ship or my suit, but I still need a fast "Hard case"".

"Thank you greatly, as for the "hunting there's a data port in my sons room down the hall-way" said the calmed man "Feel free to utilize it once you finish resting".

So, later on Samus checked the terminal, interfacing with it via her scanner (That was still available to her even in her strange new bio-Fusion suit, acquired such a short time ago).

She also took note of the Signed "Wanted: Samurai Jack" poster on the wall of the child's room ("So that's why he asked" she mused).

There was an endless stream of potential bounties on the data-net, apart from the massive one placed on SJ, his companions, information for his whereabouts & a companion of his known as "The Scotsman".

Apart from that forbidden fruit there were thousands of offers for the heads (Or appendage equilevent thereof) of various "Rebels" but she avoided those in disgust (The rulership of the planet had not struck her as a benevolent one to say the least).

There was one interesting high value local offer however, a "Hostile Xenomorph" that had taken up residency in a nearby sewage treatment plant covering an old swamp.

Apparently it had popped up and slaughtered a half dozen "Peace officers" and "Aku-drones" before vanishing.

It was described as "small, wrinkled, very, very, very fast, bright green and refers to itself as "Yoda"".

Sounds easy enough Samus mused noting down the location, "how dangerous can a small green munchkin be after all?"

End chapter 7


End file.
